


Resist and Bite

by Savay



Series: Gloria Fortis Miles [2]
Category: Sense8 (TV)
Genre: Action, Canon-Typical Violence, Drugs, F/F, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Post-Season/Series 02, Potentially Unethical Practices by the Cluster, Shameless Self-Indulgence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-04 00:17:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14007963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Savay/pseuds/Savay
Summary: BPO has Wolfgang. The August 8th cluster have Whispers and Jonas. What is the cluster willing to risk in order to get back their missing piece?(A prequel to “Snapshots of a (Mostly) Happy Future”, but can be read as a one-shot.)





	Resist and Bite

**Author's Note:**

> I finally decided to tackle the cluster’s rescue of Wolfgang. This fic immediately picks up where the end of episode 2.11 left off.
> 
> This fic was originally written for a charity anthology published by loveinpanem.tumblr.com, with all proceeds going to helping victims of Hurricane Maria. Much love to my beta, Nightjar_Patronus. More than just being my beta, she was my own personal cheerleader through this entire writing process. This fic would have been impossible without her.
> 
> Title taken from the song "Resist and Bite" by Sabaton.

Heart pounding in his chest, Capheus drives the route they had agreed upon ahead of time. Riley and Will had laid it out while the rest of the cluster were flying to London, doing their best to account for traffic and CCTV cameras in an attempt to avoid both. Normally, Capheus is able to lose himself to the rhythm of driving. He enjoys the rumble of the engine beneath his feet, the feel of the steering wheel in his hands. Now, though, all he can do is keep his breathing even as he brings their stolen BPO van toward a warehouse district. Checking his mirrors to make sure they haven’t been followed, Capheus turns down a side street. He consults the map, then pulls into the space between two buildings where a blank white van awaits.

Capheus takes a deep breath, then shifts the gear to park and turns off the ignition. He gets out quickly, running to the back to let the others out. As they (not so carefully) remove the still unconscious Jonas and Whispers from the back, Capheus heads to the white van and unlocks the back, throwing the doors open wide.

They move Whispers and Jonas as fast as the men’s dead-weight allows. Capheus shuts the doors of the new van after they climb in. He runs up to the front and hops behind the wheel, speeding away from the BPO-marked vehicle. He pulls another map from his pocket, this one also marked with a pre-laid route. Taking them back to the main road, he heads toward the opposite end of London.

There is silence in the back. Will’s threat of giving Whispers a war felt justified, born in the heat of the moment. But now that they’ve ditched the other van and are heading back to their hideout, there is a growing tension, a collective fear that somehow they will get caught before they make it to the safehouse. No one wants to speak for fear of jinxing what they’ve just gotten away with.

Capheus drives until they reach the outskirts of the city, navigating between large dilapidated buildings crumbling from disuse. He double checks the map. Slowly, he comes to a stop in front of an unremarkable warehouse. Capheus gets out of the van and opens the back for the others again. This time, they drag their captives into the building. Once everyone is inside, he gets back into the passenger seat. He parks the vehicle about a block away, then makes his way to the door of the safehouse from which his cluster had entered.

By the time he gets inside, Whispers and Jonas have already been locked into a side room. Kala and Riley are talking quietly, discussing how much heroin their captives should be dosed with. Bug sits silently, watching the action with wide eyes. Lito, however, is trying to explain exactly what’s going on to Hernando and Daniela.

“Lito,” Hernando says cautiously, “when you said you had to help these people, I didn’t quite imagine….” He trails off, not sure how to vocalize his concerns.

“A kidnapping?” Dani offers.

Lito blanches. “These are the people who have taken Wolfgang,” he says, only realizing afterward that this doesn’t explain why they came back with these men instead of the cluster-mate in question.

Seeing that Lito is in need of help, Capheus makes his way over. “We do not know where Wolfgang is,” he tells Dani and Hernando, smiling in a way he hopes is reassuring. “But these men are important to the people who are holding him captive. We are hoping they will be willing to make a trade.”

“So they’re...hostages?” Hernando asks.

Capheus’ smile falters. Luckily, Nomi decides to assist. “They’re not innocent hostages,” she clarifies. “The older one, Whispers, is the reason you found Lito bleeding on the floor.”

Both Dani’s and Hernando’s eyes widen. “And the other one?” Daniela asks softly.

“Jonas,” Nomi replies. “We thought he was on our side, but he’s working for them now. More importantly, he would help them find Whispers if we didn’t take him, too.” Lito and Capheus nod emphatically, hoping Hernando and Dani will understand why their actions were necessary.

Both Daniela and Hernando look at Lito with concern. “So this…‘Whispers’ you called him? This Whispers was hurting Wolfgang, and that hurt you?” Hernando asks.

“He was torturing Wolfgang,” Lito answers, quieter than any of them are used to hearing. “To get him to give up the rest of our identities.”

Dani winces and moves to pull Lito into a tight hug. Hernando looks somewhere between horrified and heartbroken. Removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose, he takes a deep breath before putting them back. After a few moments, he embraces Lito and Dani. “Then do what you have to do,” Hernando murmurs.

\---

When their blockers wear off, Riley is the only one not to take her next dose right away. Instead, she goes up to the second floor of the warehouse to get some privacy. She feels her mind opening up again. It feels strange, not being able to sense a single member of her cluster, but Riley tries to push that aside. She focuses on reaching out to one of the only other people she trusts.

“Miss Blue,” Mr. Hoy says, appearing out of the corner of her eye just as she thinks of him.

“Mr. Hoy,” she answers with a tired smile.

He looks around, taking in Riley’s surroundings. “I heard rumblings through the Archipelago. The Cannibal is missing. Might that have anything to do with your cluster?”

“We have him,” Riley confirms. “Jonas Maliki, too.”

Mr. Hoy sputters. “You _have_ him?” She nods. “Once again, I seem to have underestimated you, Miss Blue. What inspired you and your cluster to do _that_?”

“BPO has one of us. We’re looking to negotiate.”

He laughs incredulously. “Negotiate with BPO. Well, this is certainly a tactic I haven’t seen before, I’ll give you that, lassie. And I expect you’re calling for help?”

Riley nods again. “We have no way to make contact without giving away where we are. I know the Archipelago has someone inside BPO. We just need to find a way to contact the Chairman.”

“I take it your guests have been less than forthcoming?”

“They are currently, um, indisposed,” Riley replies, a small smirk on her face. “And we didn’t want to risk taking their phones in case they had GPS tracking.”

“Aye, smart thinking there.”

“So, will you help us?”

Mr. Hoy eyes her warily, considering his options. After a moment, he sighs with resignation. “I’ll see what I can do for you, Miss Blue.” He steps out of her consciousness to consult with the Archipelago. Riley only has to wait for about thirty seconds before he returns. “You’re in luck,” he says.

“Did you get a phone number?”

“No,” he answers, shaking his head. “But we found you someone who might be able to get it.”

\---

Kala is waiting at the bottom of the stairs with a blocker and a glass of water when Riley finishes talking with Mr. Hoy. Riley accepts both, downing the pill quickly. She waits until she hears the faint buzz of the psycellium being cut off, then walks over to where everyone else have gathered.

“What did Hoy have to say?” Will asks.

“No one in the Archipelago’s close enough to the Chairman to speak with him directly,” Riley says. Will and Sun both sigh, but Riley speaks again before either of them can vocalize their frustration. “They do have someone, though, who’s been undercover in a low-level position at the Parliament building. They sneak a couple blockers out when they can, when the formula is updated. But they’ve been gathering some info, as well. Mr. Hoy said they might be able to find the Secretary’s number.”

“Might?” asks Sun.

“He says they’ve never tried to get anything that highly guarded. But they’re willing to try. On one condition.”

“Of course,” Nomi says.

Amanita rolls her eyes. “It couldn’t just be easy, could it?”

“What is the condition?” Lito asks.

Riley replies slowly, knowing no one is going to like the answer. “Safe haven.”

“What?” Will says incredulously. “No way. Do they know how much we risked to get out of there without being caught? They want us to invite someone working with BPO to see where we’re hiding?”

Sun nods in agreement. “It does not seem wise to bring a stranger here.”

“I know. I told Mr. Hoy. He said they wanted haven because if they get us the information, it’ll be too risky to go back to the Parliament building again,” Riley explains.

“So we’re supposed to let them live with us?” Lito asks.

She shakes her head. “Just long enough for them to make arrangements to leave the country. Mr. Hoy said it should only be a day or two.”

“It’s still too dangerous,” Will insists.

“What other choice do we have?” Kala asks softly.

The question catches Will a bit off guard. “Uh...Nomi? Have you guys been able to find anything?”

“We’re trying, but we don’t have a ton to work with. Bug, Neets, and I have been doing our best, but without a name or a face, it’s hard to know where to even start,” she answers.

“I take it that those men, Whispers and Jonas, have not said anything?” Hernando inquires.

Will shakes his head. “We can’t let them be conscious. If they’re connected with any other sensates in BPO, that would be the end for us.” Hernando and Dani nod in acceptance. “Besides,” Will adds, “I don’t know if we have enough time to make them tell us. Every day we’re in London, we take the chance of BPO finding this place.”

There are a few moments of quiet, as the gravity of the statement sinks in. Then Capheus speaks up. “I’m with Kala. I think we have to trust the Archipelago.” After another few seconds, Lito and Nomi nod as well.

Realizing he’s already likely outvoted, Will looks over to Sun and Riley. “Well, it’s a group decision,” he says. “What do you guys think?”

“I think Kala is right,” Riley answers. “I don’t think we have any other choice.”

“Sun?” Will asks.

She takes a moment to think, choosing her words carefully. “I do not think it is safe. But coming here was not safe, either. Right now, we must focus on what is necessary.”

Will nods. “Then it’s decided. Riley, when did Hoy say we would be able to contact him again?”

“He said he’ll wait for me the next time his blockers wear off.”

“Alright,” Will says. “ Well, I guess we better get ready for a visitor.”

\---

An hour or so later, Nomi is back at her computer, pulling up a security camera feed.

“Where’s this?” Amanita asks. She steps behind Nomi and puts her arms around her, pulling her fiancée against her chest. “Doesn’t look like London.”

Nomi shakes her head. “Berlin,” she answers, fingers flitting across the keys to flip through various video feeds.

Amanita furrows her brow. “I thought you guys were pretty sure Lila had left Berlin?”

“There’s been no sign of her,” Nomi confirms. “But Wolfgang would kill us if we didn’t keep an eye on Felix.”

Chuckling, Amanita gives Nomi a kiss on the temple. “Of course he would.”

After a few more keystrokes, the feed switches to one outside of Felix’s shop. The man in question is locking up. He’s clearly wary, taking a look around the street before turning back to lock the door. A sad smile crosses Nomi’s face. Felix quickly finishes up and takes off down the street at a brisk pace. Nomi doesn’t switch the feeds to follow him, instead letting it linger there as she leans into Amanita’s touch. After a couple minutes of random passersby walking in and out of view, one man slows to a stop in front of the shop. He looks around with a feigned casualness. Nomi leans forward in her chair, trying to get a good look.

“Do you all know that guy?” Amanita asks cautiously.

Nomi shakes her head. “No. Wolfgang and Felix don’t really have other friends.” The man, assuming he is in the clear, turns to the door of Felix’s shop and starts picking the lock. “Shit.”

“I’m gonna guess that guy isn’t just trying to rob him, is he?”

“Considering Wolfgang spent most of their diamond money paying off Felix’s doctors, there’s not much to steal except keys,” Nomi says, biting her lip. The man isn’t as quick as Wolfgang would have been with the lock, but it’s still not long before he sneaks inside.

“Fuck,” Amanita sighs. “Want me to grab Will so you can keep an eye on the camera?”

“Get all of them, if you can,” Nomi replies. “We either need to figure out who this guy is, or we need to get Felix out of there as fast as we can.”

\---

After they’ve all gathered around the computers and Nomi’s replayed the footage, Will is the first to speak. “That didn’t look like one of Fuchs’ men.”

Sun shakes her head. “Fuchs wouldn’t bother with an ambush.”

“What about the third king?” Lito asks. “The one Lila was trying to make a deal with.”

“Dogan, right?” Nomi offers.

Will nods. “Yeah, that was him. But I don’t think that’s who this is. He never even bothered to meet with Wolfgang personally - don’t think he would go after Felix. The kings all underestimate him.”

“Kings?” Bug asks.

“They’re more like mob bosses,” Nomi explains. “Berlin has four main mobs that control the city. Well...had four. Wolfgang sorta took care of one.”

“He created a power vacuum,” Dani says, surprising the others slightly. “What?” She shrugs. “Mexico City is no different.”

“Every city has an underground,” Sun agrees. “But I am with Will. I do not think Dogan would be after Felix.”

“BPO, then,” Riley sighs.

Hernando’s eyes widen with worry. “Why would they go after a friend of Wolfgang’s. He’s not a sensate, too, is he?”

“No,” Lito confirms. “But who knows how much information Lila gave them?”

“They would go after _sapiens_?” Hernando asks. “Just for being friends?”

Lito shakes his head no, looking to Will out of the corner of his eye. Hernando follows his gaze and sees Will’s expression has turned dark. “Since we have Whispers, they can’t use their normal methods to get Wolfgang to give up our names. But they have other ways of trying to convince him.”

Kala’s eyes haven’t left the computer screen since she first saw Felix on it. When she hears what Will says, though, she looks to the rest of them. “We can’t let that happen.”

Nodding, Capheus says, “We can’t let anyone else get hurt.”

There is no debate. As Kala looks to her other selves, she sees fierce determination on all of their faces. None of them are going to allow harm to come to Felix.

Riley steps forward. “Nomi? Bug? Do you think you can find Felix’s number?”

“Felix have a last name?” Bug asks.

“Berner,” Kala replies instantly.

Bug cracks his knuckles and smirks. “Then give me five minutes. Tops.”

As Bug and Nomi look for Felix’s phone number, the rest of them discuss exactly how they want to handle this. They can’t tell Felix everything over the phone - even on the off chance that he would believe them, his phone isn’t likely to be secure. If BPO have gone through the trouble of breaking into his shop, they’ve almost certainly tapped his phone. Nomi offers to let Kala make the call, but the pain that flashes through her eyes gives her answer before she can speak. In the end, they decide to let Riley make the call.

Nomi pulls up a program on her computer that generates a one-use phone number, then hands her headset over to Riley. She puts the headphones on and adjusts the microphone. After taking a breath to steady herself, Riley clicks the button to initiate the call.

Felix’s phone rings a few times before he answers. “ _Hallo_?” he greets, and Riley can hear a twinge of fear in his voice.

“Felix?”

“ _Wer ist das_?”

Riley cringes, realizing she’s not sure how much English Felix speaks. “I’m sorry,” she responds. “I’m a friend of Wolfgang’s.”

Felix inhales sharply, then Riley hears him clear his throat. “Wolfgang isn’t here,” he answers, his English thickly accented. “I don’t know where you got this number, but-”

“I’m not calling for Wolfgang,” Riley says, cutting him off.

This clearly throws Felix off. He pauses before he replies. “Then why are you calling?”

Riley takes a deep breath, reminding herself to stick to the plan. “Wolfgang is missing, right?” (It hurts her not to just tell Felix the truth. She doesn’t need to have met him in person for him to already feel like family.)

“Are you with Fuchs?” Felix accuses, voice sharper now. “He move on that quickly now that Lila is gone?”

“No,” Riley says quickly. “I’m not with him or any of the other kings.”

“Then what the fuck do you want? Do you know where Wolfgang is?”

“Not exactly. But we have the men who do.”

This shuts Felix up for a moment. Riley can practically hear him weighing his options. “What do you want?”

“You need to come to London,” she says. “Don’t tell anyone where you are going.”

“Wolfgang doesn’t have friends in London. He doesn’t have friends, period. How do I know this isn’t a trap?” Felix demands.

“I would tell you more, but your phone isn’t clean. I shouldn’t be calling at all, but you’re in danger. You can’t go back to the shop, and Wolfgang would want us to get you somewhere safe. Once you get to London, if you don’t believe me, you can go back home. No one will stop you.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. Why should I trust you?”

Riley reaches back into her mind, trying to remember something she’s learned about Wolfgang that only Felix would know. “‘No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that two stood against many.’”

There is another pause from Felix. Riley looks to those around her, worried this might not work. But then she hears him breathe deeply. “Okay. How will I know it’s you when I get there?”

She smiles, exhaling in relief. “There will be a few of us. We will meet you at arrivals, holding a sign like you’re there for business. We’ll tell you everything when we get out of the airport.”

“Fine. Should I text you when I figure out the plane tickets?”

“No, this number won’t be good. It’s a burner. If I call you back in an hour, can you have the ticket purchased by then?”

“Already on it,” he replies.

“Okay, good. And Felix?”

“What?” he asks, frustration edging into his voice.

“Thank you for trusting me,” she answers, then ends the call.

\---

That night, after Riley has confirmed Felix’s flight will arrive in two days at 1:30 PM, Will volunteers to take the first watch. As the rest of the cluster and their families head to bed, Riley comes to sit by Will.

“You should get some sleep,” he says, giving her a small smile.

She shrugs, leaning her head against his shoulder. “I’ll sleep when you do.”

“Are you sure?”

Riley turns her face so it’s buried against his arm. “I don’t like sleeping without you,” she murmurs against him.

Chuckling, Will puts an arm around her. He kisses the top of her head gently. “Me neither,” he says against her hair. He feels her smile against him in response.

They just sit together for a while, taking comfort in each other’s presence. Will runs his fingers through Riley’s hair. The gentle motions soothe them both. After a while, Riley looks up at him. “Do you think we’re making a mistake?”

Will considers this for a moment. “I’m not sure. I think bringing more people here is going to increase the risk - especially someone we don’t know we can trust.”

“But?”

“But Kala was right,” he adds. “We don’t have any other choice. If this is the only way to get Wolfgang back, then it’s what we have to do.”

Riley nods. “I want to believe we can trust the Archipelago. If this person has been on the inside for a while, they could’ve turned over other sensates to rise up the ranks if they wanted to.” Will shrugs in reply. “Besides,” Riley continues, “it’s not like Mr. Hoy is exactly the trusting kind.”

Will chuckles. “You’re not wrong about that,” he answers before giving her a soft kiss.

“What was that for?” she asks, a small smile on her face.

“For being so great, even a paranoid old man hiding in Scotland couldn’t help trusting you.”

She laughs softly, pulling Will close to give him another quick peck on the lips. They stay snuggled together for a while, Will’s arm around Riley’s shoulder as she rests her head against him. When he notices her soft snores, Will only holds her tighter.

\---

Early next morning, the alarm Will set on his watch goes off. He gently nudges Riley awake.

“Mm, morning,” she mumbles, wiping the sleep out of her eyes.

“Good morning,” he answers, kissing her on the cheek. “Time to get up. The rest of us need to take our blockers, and you need to talk to Mr. Hoy.”

Riley nods, drowsily pulling herself to standing. She stretches out her stiff muscles as Will heads over to where Kala is sleeping. He kneels down and gently places a hand on her shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” Kala asks, waking with a start.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Will says, hoping he sounds soothing despite the hoarseness of sleep-deprivation creeping into his voice. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just time for all of us to take our next dose.” Sheepishly, Kala nods and sits up. When she’s upright, Will pulls her into a hug. “We’re going to get him back,” he murmurs.

She hesitates for a moment, then wraps her arms around him and nods again. Will gives her a soft smile before getting up to wake the others.

While Riley heads upstairs to speak to Mr. Hoy, Kala grabs a bottle of blockers from one of her bags and distributes them to her cluster. They pass a glass of water around to swallow the large black pills. Once everyone’s finished, Sun takes over on guard duty while Will goes to get some sleep. Kala replaces the bottle in her bag, then pulls out the heroin. She carefully measures each dose before making her way over to the small room where they’ve been keeping Jonas and Whispers. Luckily, both men seem to be sleeping. She injects them quickly and leaves, not wanting to linger long enough for them to stir.

It’s not much longer before Riley’s blocker wears off. Right away,Mr. Hoy appears in front of her. “Good morning, Miss Blue,” he greets.

“Morning, Mr. Hoy.”

“So have you and your cluster come to a decision?”

“We have,” she confirms. “We’ll take the deal.”

Mr. Hoy’s eyes light up. “I thought you might.”

“So when do we meet up with this person?” Riley asks.

“Just a moment,” he says, then steps out of her vision for a few seconds. He is smiling when he returns. “As luck would have it, they’re scheduled to work today. They said they should be able to find the number by the end of their shift.”

“When will that be?”

“Should be about 5 o’clock. They’ll then take the tube out to Burnt Oak and meet you there. Shouldn’t take them more than forty-five minutes.”

“And how will we know who we’re looking for?”

“They will ask you when you last visited London. Tell them August.”

Riley raises her eyebrows. “Really?” she asks with a bit of a laugh.

Mr. Hoy smiles. “Your cluster’s gotten yourselves a reputation, Miss Blue. The password was their idea.”

“Alright,” she says. “Is there anything else we should know?”

He shakes his head no. “That’s all I’ve got for you, lass.”

“Well, thank you for your help, Mr. Hoy.”

“It was my pleasure.” He moves to leave, then turns back to face Riley. “Miss Blue?”

“Yes?”

“Tell your cluster I said good luck,” he says. Then Riley is once again alone in her mind.

\---

While Will catches up on sleep, the rest of the cluster continue what have become their regular duties. Nomi and Bug keep an eye on Felix from afar, making sure no more mysterious intruders catch up with him before his flight. Lito and Capheus (with occasional anecdotes from Amanita) do their best to bring Hernando and Daniela up to speed with everything that has happened in their lives over the past year. Sun does her daily Tai Chi routine while on guard. Riley and Kala keep an eye on Whispers and Jonas, injecting them with heroin whenever they seem to start waking up.

In the early afternoon, Will wakes to the sound of his blocker alarm. The cluster all take their blockers, then Riley fills Will in on her discussion with Mr. Hoy.

“So a call and response code,” he says. “That should work. Better than you having to go somewhere alone to take a pill and hope it’s not poison again.”

“Definitely,” Riley agrees.

After some discussion, it is decided that Will, Riley, and Capheus will be the ones making the trip. While Will could technically drive the van, they all agree it’s better to have someone with more experience behind the wheel in case they need to make a quick getaway. And while Riley may be more noticeable than some of the others with her hair, they agree it’s better than risking one of their undiscovered cluster members.

When the time comes, the three of them make their way quickly to the van. Once Riley and Will are settled in the back, Capheus takes his seat up front and starts up the engine. Nomi had printed out directions to the Burnt Oak tube station for Capheus, which he unfolds on his lap. The drive is thankfully uneventful.

About half an hour later, they arrive at the station. Capheus pulls into a spot in the parking garage. Before Will leaves with Riley, he tells Capheus with a serious look in his eyes, “If we’re not back in twenty minutes, leave without us.”

“Let us hope it doesn’t come to that,” Capheus replies.

“Let’s hope,” Riley agrees.

Will and Riley head to the station underground, sitting together on a bench that gives them a good view of the passengers leaving the trains, their bodies tense. Riley sees Will clenching and unclenching his fists, trying to keep himself calm. She gently takes his hand. “What do you think they’ll be like?” she asks, trying to keep his mind off the potential danger.

Even with the blockers, her touch soothes him. Will allows himself to relax. “No idea. They can’t be too young if they’re working at the Parliament building. But other than that?” He shrugs. “Hoy couldn’t at least tell you what they look like? Or a name? A gender?”

“I’m not sure he knows,” Riley answers. “The Archipelago works like a game of telephone.”

Will sighs but doesn’t push it, knowing she’s right. They sit there for a few more minutes before someone taps Riley on the shoulder. She has to keep herself from jumping in her seat. Instead, she slowly turns around.

The person she sees is androgynous, but otherwise unassuming. Short, dark hair peeks out under the hood of their sweatshirt, framing their round face. Their skin is a light brown, and their eyes a much darker shade of the same color. “When did you last visit London?” they ask softly, clearly trying to mask the anxiety in their voice.

Riley sighs with relief. “August,” she answers.

Instantly the person breaks into a grin. “Oh, thank God, I wasn’t sure it was you,” they say. Their accent sounds similar to Lito’s, but not quite the same.

“How did you know it was us?” Will asks warily.

“I’ll tell you later,” they answer. “We should get out of here.”

The three of them head back up to the parking garage. Will knocks on the window of their van. Capheus smiles with relief, then gets out to let them into the back.

Once they’re back on the road, Will gives their new companion a stern look. “Do you have a name?” he asks.

“Ro,” they answer.

“Alright, Ro. How did you know who we were?”

“You two are, um, sort of infamous at BPO now,” they say. “Even people at the lower ranks were told to look out for you, especially after the Cannibal and Jonas Maliki went missing.”

“Shit,” Will says.

Ro shrugs. “It means they’re scared. They normally try to keep these things pretty hush-hush.” They look down, then continue, their voice quieter, “It’s why I wanted to help.”

Riley tilts her head. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve been hiding among them for the last year or so. I’ve seen them frustrated by sensates who eluded capture before. But never scared.” Ro slowly looks back up, meeting Riley’s eyes. In that look, it becomes clear to Riley just how nervous they are about what they’ve done. “I figured, if you guys have them so frightened, you might be able to actually make a difference.”

“Not if we can’t get the last member of our cluster back,” Will says stiffly. Riley nudges him and looks between him and Ro. Their connection may be blocked, but Will recognizes the look enough to know Riley is asking him to ease up on their new ally. He takes a deep breath before he speaks again, less harshly this time. “Were you able to find the Secretary’s number?”

Ro’s face brightens. They dig in their pocket for a second, then brandish a small scrap of paper. “We’re lucky,” they say. “I didn’t have any real power there. I was just doing data entry for the billing department. But after you guys kidnapped the Cannibal, the Secretary got a new phone. I was able to find the bill.”

At this, Will smirks. “Of course. He put it on the company card.”

Smiling, Ro nods. “Exactly.” They hand the paper over, and Will tucks it into his own pocket.

“Thank you,” Riley says. “We know this must have been a huge risk for you.”

Ro blushes. “I can’t do much. There wasn’t a lot I could do to change things other than sneaking out blockers sometimes. So when I heard the Archipelago asking if anyone could help the August 8th cluster, I thought, maybe this is my chance to help.”

“But you’ll have to give up your life here. And chance getting caught on your way out,” Riley insists.

“I’m not too attached to London. I had to leave home a couple years ago, and it was a good midway point for my cluster,” Ro explains. “And, well...not getting caught is my speciality.” Will raises an eyebrow, and Ro laughs nervously. “Okay, um, it’s more like not getting noticed at all. But it works in my favor, when I’m trying to get information.”

“Fair,” says Will.

A few minutes later, Capheus pulls to a stop outside their warehouse. He parks the van back in its old spot after dropping off Riley, Will, and Ro. In the meantime, the three he dropped off enter the warehouse.

As soon as they’re through the door, Sun looks over Ro intensely. “I am sure you will not mind if Will pats you down,” she says.

“Oh, uh, right,” Ro answers. “Yeah, sure.” When Will starts to walk toward them, Ro pats their own pockets and says, “Uh, I forgot to say, I have a bottle of blockers on me. But that’s it, I swear.”

As Will pats their guest down, those who had been waiting in the warehouse come to observe. He goes over their body quickly, trying not to make Ro too uncomfortable, but stops when he gets to the sides of their chest. “There’s extra fabric here. Is there something under there?” he asks.

Ro’s eyes widen, and they shake their head. “Oh, shit. No that’s...that’s my binder.” Most of the group look at each other, confused, but Nomi and Amanita’s eyes soften instantly.

“Hey,” Nomi says as she steps forward, her tone soothing. “It’s alright. No one here’s gonna judge you.” She looks to Riley and Will, then back to the new person in their midst. “You have a name you want us to use?”

“Uh, Ro is...Ro is fine.”

“Hey, Ro,” Nomi greets with a comforting smile. “What pronouns do you use?”

Ro immediately relaxes upon hearing that. “Oh, wow. Thank you. Um...they and them pronouns. Please?”

Amanita grins. “Hell yes,” she says. “Don’t worry, Ro. You’re in good hands. Noms here has been teaching everyone about gender.” Amanita kisses her fiancée on the cheek. Nomi blushes.

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Will says, looking between Nomi and Ro, “I’m just… for the sake of our safety…. What is a binder?”

Ro looks down, embarrassed. Amanita giggles. “A _chest_ binder, sweetie,” she answers.

Now Will is blushing, too. Sun nods in understanding. They both step away from Ro.

“Looks like we’ve got a bit more teaching to do,” Amanita says, pulling the flustered Will into an affectionate hug.

\---

Once everyone has settled back in, the cluster gets down to business. Nomi sets up her computer and headset, pulling up the phone program they used contact Felix. Will pulls the slip of paper Ro gave him from his pocket, trading Nomi the number for her headset.

“You ready for this?” Nomi asks.

Will looks at his cluster, taking a deep breath and trying to draw strength from them. It’s not the same as when he can feel them in his mind, but it’s enough. “As ready as I’m gonna be,” he answers, pulling the headset on.

Nodding, Nomi dials the number. After the third ring, Will hears the click of the call being accepted.

“Who is this?” a deep, English accented voice asks. There is an edge to it, fear creeping in.

Will chuckles. _Ro was right,_ he thinks. _They’re afraid of us._ “I think you might be able to guess, Mr. Secretary,” he replies.

A sharp intake of breath comes from the other end of the line. “Mr. Gorski, I presume. How did you get this number?”

“Now why would I want to tell you that?”

“I would advise against playing games with us,” the Secretary says. “Need I remind you we have one of your cluster?”

“No,” Will shoots back. “In fact, that’s why I’m calling you.”

“Would this have anything to do with the whereabouts of either Mr. Gibbons or Mr. Maliki?” the Secretary asks.

“Both of them, actually.”

The Secretary sighs. “What are you playing at?”

“Oh, we’re not playing,” Will answers. “No games. Just a proposal.”

“And what, exactly, do you propose?”

“A trade.”

Will hears the other man scoff. “Why would we make a deal with you? It’s only a matter of time before we find you.”

“Is it?” Will asks. “You couldn’t find us when we were right under your noses, picking up Jonas and ol’ Milt here.”

“Mr. Bogdanow will talk eventually.”

And with that, Will knows he’s already won. “Are you sure about that? ‘Cause he has no idea where we are, and we haven’t felt him since before we paid Milton a visit.” Will pauses, giving the Secretary a chance to prove him wrong. He is met with silence. “You know what I think? I think you’ve had Wolfgang on blockers for the last two days, ‘cause you can’t get him to talk without Milt or Jonas to poke around inside his head.”

“We could just have him killed,” the Secretary says.

“You could. But then what incentive would we have to keep Jonas or Milton alive?” Will asks. He hears the Secretary swear under his breath, and smirks. “My guess is you need these two. Why else would you have saved their asses so many times?”

There is another pause from the Secretary before he says, “So a trade, then.”

“Now you’re getting it, Mr. Secretary.”

\---

They negotiate to meet the next afternoon on the outskirts of the city. Once Will gets off the call, he is met with concern from Nomi and Riley. “That’s going to conflict with the time we told Felix we would pick him up,” Riley says.

“I know,” Will sighs. “But I wanted to get Wolfgang out of there as quick as we could.”

“Maybe it’s better this way,” Nomi suggests. “They’ll be so focused on the trade, I doubt they’ll have eyes on the airport.”

Sun nods. “This may work to our advantage.”

“So which of us is going where?” Lito asks.

They look at each other, silently debating where their skills would be most useful. After a few moments, Kala speaks up. “I’ll go to get Felix.”

Riley touches Kala’s hand gently. “Are you sure?”

Taking a deep breath, Kala grips Riley’s hand tight. “I don’t...I don’t know if I could remain calm during the trade. That’s not what we need.”

“Well, you’re not going alone,” Riley says. “I told Felix I would be there to explain things. I don’t want to make it harder for him to believe us.”

It pains Will to agree to let Riley go without him, but he can’t argue with her logic. “Sun, you wanna go with them, too? Just in case?” he asks. Sun nods. “Nomi, we’re gonna need you, Amanita, and Bug here to keep an eye on things. At least one person from each group should have one of the Bluetooths, so we can maintain contact.”

“Already looking into Heathrow’s security system,” Nomi replies.

“Capheus and Lito, you guys alright with me?” Will asks. They both nod. “Hopefully they haven’t found the van we stole from them yet. If it’s still where we left it, we can bring that one to the trade, so they can’t get the license plate number of white one.”

“How are we going to get to Heathrow?” Kala asks.

“We can take the Underground,” Riley says.

“We can drop you off at a station,” Will offers.

“We will need a way to get back without you,” Sun adds. “Felix is not likely to wait long for answers. If we have to wait, he might leave.”

“We’ll look for rentals,” Amanita says. “Bug, think you can play with the numbers and get us a car?”

“Shouldn’t be too hard,” he replies.

“Is there anything we can do?” Daniela asks.

Will considers this for a moment. “How comfortable are you with dressing wounds?” Hernando’s eyes widen, but Dani just shrugs. “Wolfgang is going to need medical attention. Best case scenario, he’ll be the only one. But we should have things ready so we can help him as soon as we get back.”

Hernando looks between Daniela and Will. “Do we have any medical supplies?”

“I brought basic supplies with me,” Kala says. “I’m not a physician, but I can show you some things that should help.”

“I’ve cleaned my fair share of wounds,” Dani says. “Between you and me, I’m sure we can figure this out.”

Kala looks at Daniela, a sad smile on her face. “Thank you.”

“Is there...I mean, I don’t have much to offer, but is there any way I can help?” Ro asks.

Will shakes his head. “You should probably stay back and help Dani and Hernando. We don’t want to risk BPO recognizing you. It’ll put your whole cluster in the line of fire.”

Ro bites their lip and nods. “Thank you.”

“No,” Riley says. “Thank you. You didn’t have to put yourself at risk for us. But you did.”

“I talked it over with my cluster. We’re tired of always being afraid. We’re not fighters like you guys.” Ro shrugs. “We couldn’t have done anything alone. But the way we see it, helping you take down BPO helps us all.”

Will smiles. “That’s the idea.”

\---

After Kala doses Jonas and Whispers again and the everyone has taken their blockers, they settle in for the night. Sun takes the first guard shift this time. She sits by the entrance to the warehouse and lights up a cigarette. Riley grabs one of the blankets she and Will have been using, then heads over to Ro.

“I know it’s not much,” Riley says, “We don’t have too many extra, but let’s see if anyone has a pillow they can spare.”

“Oh,” Ro says, surprised at the offer. “Thank you.”

“It’s no trouble,” Riley replies with a smile. “C’mon, Nomi and Amanita have a few.” She leads the way, Ro following behind. “Nomi, would you mind lending Ro one of your pillows?”

“No problem,” Nomi replies, grabbing one from the nest of blankets she and Amanita have been sleeping in and tossing it to Ro. They fumble with the pillow, but manage to catch it.

“Do you want me to sleep by Sun?” Ro asks.

Nomi looks at them, puzzled. “Uh, if you want to.”

“I know I’m already asking a lot. I want you to feel safe,” Ro explains.

“Well if you are secretly out to get us,” Nomi says, “you’re a very considerate double agent.” Amanita giggles, and Ro blushes.

“You can sleep wherever you feel comfortable,” Riley says.

“Are you sure?” Ro asks.

“Honestly?” Amanita says. “Sun would be able to stop you before you could do anything, no matter where you’re sleeping.” Ro widens their eyes.

“She’s not superhuman,” Nomi says, laughing.

“May as well be,” Amanita shoots back with a smirk.

Ro gives them a shaky smile. “Would it...would it be alright if I just slept here?” they ask, gesturing to the floor beneath them.

“Go right ahead, sweetie,” Amanita answers

“I might be up kinda late, I’m trying to get into the Brandenburg Airport cameras,” Nomi says. “But if that doesn’t bother you, go for it.”

“That’s fine,” Ro replies.

“I’m going to head to bed,” Riley says, “But let me know if there’s something you need.”

Ro nods, then lays the blanket and pillow they’re borrowing on the ground. Nomi and Amanita get back to work. Ro gets under the blanket, then removes their shirt and chest binder. They put their shirt back on, then emerge from the blanket with their binder and quickly shove it under their pillow, clearly a bit self-conscious.

Nomi watches out of the corner of her eye. In Ro’s movements, she sees herself, still young and scared and ashamed of who she was. Amanita notices her fiancée’s typing slow to a stop. She looks up to see a sad smile on Nomi’s face, and follows her gaze over to Ro. She grabs one of Nomi’s hands, giving it a small squeeze.

“So, what brought you to London, Ro?” Nomi asks, trying for nonchalant. She doesn’t want to sound patronizing, but she wants Ro to know they don’t have to worry about being judged here. Nomi hopes casual conversation might make them more comfortable.

“Oh, um...to protect my family, mostly,” Ro answers. “There was a doctor back home who started to figure out what I was. I didn’t want to put my parents in danger.”

“So you hid right under BPO’s noses?” Amanita asks. “You’ve got guts.”

Ro laughs softly, shaking their head. “No. I just...I’m good at not being noticed. The rest of my cluster still have homes.” They sigh. “I was terrified every day. But I couldn’t let them lose their families, too.”

“Sounds pretty brave to me,” Neets replies.

Shrugging, Ro looks down at their hands. “I don’t know.”

Sensing their unease, Nomi changes the subject. “Where’s home, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Ro considers the question, debating for a moment whether they want to answer. They take a deep breath, then say, “Puerto Rico.”

“I’ve always wanted to go there,” Amanita says. “Do you miss it?”

“Every day,” Ro answers. “England is too damn cold.”

Nomi chuckles. “You heading somewhere warmer after this?”

“No.” Ro laughs. “Sweden, actually.”

“Wow, the Archipelago is all over, huh?” Amanita asks.

“Oh it’s, uh, not the Archipelago.”

“Someone in your cluster?” Nomi asks.

Ro nods, smiling wider than either Amanita or Nomi have seen since they arrived. “Yeah,” they say, a soft look in their eyes.

Nomi smiles back, taking Amanita’s hand in hers. She recognizes that look - it’s the same look she sees from Neets every day. “Someone special?” Nomi asks.

Flushing a deep pink, Ro runs one hand through their hair. “Uh, yeah. Her...her name is Sylvi.”

“Sylvi’s lucky to have someone as brave as you,” Amanita says.

Ro shakes their head again. “I’m the lucky one. I would never have been able to do any of this without her. Without all of them.” They take a deep breath. “I’m not, uh, really good with people. I get anxious. A lot.” Sighing, Ro looks up to Nomi and Amanita. “I’m not like a spy or anything. The reason I was able to be at BPO so long is ‘cause I’ve learned how to avoid people. Well, more accurately, how to avoid being noticed, ‘cause attention makes me nervous.”

Nomi gives what she hopes is a comforting smile. “I don’t think the why matters. I’m pretty sure going undercover and sneaking info out of BPO makes you a damn good spy.”

Ro laughs quietly. “Yeah. Maybe.”

“When you’re safe and off blockers, tell your whole cluster thank you for us,” Nomi says. “I know you said you’re not fighters, but from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re fighting pretty hard to me.”

They consider this for a minute, not fully convinced. “Thank you,” they say anyway, snuggling into the blanket.

\---

Will’s alarm goes off the next morning, and he makes the rounds through the warehouse to wake the others up to take their blockers. When Ro gets up, though, they don’t take their blockers immediately. “Is there, um, somewhere safe for me to talk?” they ask Will. “To my cluster, I mean.”

“Upstairs is fine,” Will answers, voice still raspy with sleep. “Just try to stay away from the windows.” Ro nods, heading up the stairs. After Will has roused the rest of them, he takes over guard duty for Sun so she can nap before going to get Felix in the afternoon.

Kala quietly checks on their captives. Their room smells foul, both men having soiled themselves at some point the previous day. A small part of her feels a twinge of regret. _Is this what you went to school for?_ she asks herself. But when she closes her eyes, she recalls flashes of memory. Wolfgang, strapped down and bleeding. Whispers, hovering above him with a malicious smile. The glimpses of Jonas she got through Will’s mind, telling Will he wouldn’t understand this decision. Kala takes a deep breath and shoots both men up. She then forces a bit of water down their throats, neither of the men able to do it on their own in their semi-conscious state.

By the time Kala leaves the room, Ro is coming downstairs. Kala notices a look of concern on their guest’s face. “Is everything alright?” she asks.

“Oh, yeah. I mean, I think so,” Ro answers.

“You think so?” Kala says, failing to keep the concern out of her voice. So far, everything has gone relatively smoothly. Their steady execution of plans has been all that’s kept her from breaking down.

“One of my cluster bought me a plane ticket for tonight. Would it be okay if… if I came with you to the airport? From there you don’t have to worry about me anymore, I promise.”

Kala exhales, relieved. “We should tell the others, but I’m sure that will be fine.” Ro nods, following behind as Kala walks toward the rest of her cluster.

\---

The days before had felt agonizingly slow. Every moment of waiting allowed worry and fear to worm their way into the cluster, all of them worried about what was happening to Wolfgang while they can’t feel him. But now that it’s almost time to put their plan into action, the cluster feels like they’re going through the day in fast-forward. No amount of planning or going over the details feel like enough. There are still so many variables they can’t account for. So many things that can go wrong.

Nomi gives Will one Bluetooth earpiece, then hands another to Riley. Amanita prints out directions to an Underground station en route to the place they left the stolen BPO van. She gives them to Capheus, and he thanks her with a smile. Kala shows Hernando and Dani where her medical supplies are. The labels are mostly in Hindi, but she points out a burn cream and an antibiotic ointment. She also makes a point to indicate where she keeps the blockers, in the event that they haven’t returned with Felix before it’s time for the cluster to take their next dose.

Before they know it, it’s time to leave. Capheus pulls up the van in front of the safehouse. Will and Lito carry Whispers and Jonas, both still thoroughly intoxicated, to the back of the van. Riley, Kala, Sun, and Ro pile in after them. Capheus closes the doors to the back, then gets behind the wheel and starts following the printed directions.

Ro eyes the captives warily. Riley sees the apprehension on their face and reaches over to grab Ro’s hand. “It’s okay,” Riley says. “He can’t connect with you like this.” Ro nods, but doesn’t take their eyes of Whispers until they pull into an alley near the tube station. Capheus opens up the van and gives them a reassuring smile. Will gives Riley’s hand a quick squeeze before she, Ro, Sun, and Kala get out and head into the station.

Their ride to Heathrow Airport is fortunately uneventful. When they arrive, Nomi checks in on them. “So far, so good,” she tells Riley. “No one has made any unusual outgoing calls, and none of the BPO guards have been sent out.”

“Thanks,” Riley murmurs, trying not to draw too much attention.

“No problem,” Nomi answers. “I’m gonna check in on the guys, but I’ll keep you posted.” And with that, the line goes quiet again.

The four of them walk around until they can find a sign with arrival and departure times. Kala double checks the flight number they have for Felix and sees it should be arriving on time. Ro’s flight to Stockholm will be boarding in about an hour. They have just enough time to retrieve their ticket from the Scandinavian Airlines counter and get through security.

“Um, I guess this is goodbye,” Ro says. “Thank you for letting me stay with you.”

Riley smiles. “After what you did for us?” she asks. “It was worth the risk.” Sun and Kala nod.

“Still. Thank you. Not just for the place to stay but...for everything,” Ro says, a small smile on their face, before leaving for the departures side of the airport.

\---

After the stop at the tube station, Capheus drives to where they left the BPO van. He goes as fast as he can without drawing attention to them. Once he gets there and sees the van right where they left it, he smiles, relieved. When he opens up the back doors, Will is talking to Nomi over the Bluetooth.

“Everything good with you guys?” Nomi asks.

“So far,” Will answers. “The other van is still here, so that’s a good start.” He huffs as he lifts Jonas from under the arms to carry him to the other vehicle. Capheus digs the keys out of his pocket and opens the back door of the BPO van, allowing Lito and Will to drag over Whispers and Jonas.

“The others made it to the airport alright,” Nomi says.

Even though he knows Nomi can’t see him, Will smiles with relief. “No one’s noticed them?”

“At least not on the Underground.”

“Do you have an ETA on Felix?” Will asks.

He hears some typing from the other end. “Looks like his flight is on schedule. Assuming he cooperates, they _should_ be able to get in and out pretty quickly.”

Capheus and Lito look to Will with concerned expressions. None of them are used to hearing only one side of their clustermates’ conversations, and it makes them a bit uneasy. Will gives them a thumbs up. Capheus grins and shuts the van’s doors.

“Let’s just hope Felix is feeling more trusting than usual, then,” Will says.

\---

Sun heads to the car rental booth while Kala and Riley walk to the international arrivals gate, not wanting to linger out in the open for too long. When Felix’s flight switches from “On Time” to “Arrived”, Riley pulls a folded piece of paper from her pocket. She unfolds it, revealing the words “FELIX BERNER” written in thick, black marker, and holds up the sign. As Riley searches the faces of the people streaming in from customs, Kala keeps an eye out on the other people around them, making sure no one takes too much notice of them.

After about fifteen minutes, Riley spots him. Felix looks tired and worn and most likely in great need of a shower, but otherwise safe. He sees the sign and walks over to them.

“Huh,” Felix says, looking them both up and down.

“What is it?” Riley asks.

Felix shakes his head. “I was pretty sure this was a trap. I didn’t expect a couple of women to come pick me up.”

Kala raises her eyebrow. “Why does us being women matter?”

“No, no,” he says. “That’s not what I mean. I just thought Fuchs had hired someone to get me out of the way. He doesn’t work with a lot of women.”

“Let’s talk about this later,” Riley says. “Right now, we should get out of here. Do you have any luggage you need to pick up?”

“No,” he says, glancing at his backpack. “Either this was a trap and I wasn’t going to get a chance to grab it anyway, or this was for real and shit’s about to get weird. Figured either way, having extra shit to drag around was a bad idea.”

Riley nods. “Then we should get going,” leading the way back to Sun.

As they’re walking, Nomi’s voice crackles through Riley’s earpiece. “From my end it looks like Felix’s flight arrived about twenty-minutes ago. You find him?”

“Yeah,” Riley replies. “We’re heading to the car now. Sun was picking it up. Any way to check if she’s ready for us?” Felix looks concerned about Riley talking to herself, but she points to the Bluetooth by way of explanation. He mouths “oh” at her, but still looks uncomfortable.

“Just a sec,” Nomi says, the familiar clacking of the keyboard coming through the line. Vaguely, Riley hears Bug and Amanita talking in the background. “Bug says the rental’s been picked up. Sun should be outside with the car.”

“Got it. Thanks, Nomi. Any word from the guys?”

“They switched vans a little while ago,” Nomi confirms. “They’re on their way to the meeting spot now.”

“Alright. We’ll let you know if there’s anything else.”

“Gotcha,” Nomi says. “Be safe.”

“You, too,” Riley answers, and then the line goes silent.

When it becomes clear Riley is finished talking, Felix asks, “Are you sure this isn’t a trap?” His tone makes it sound like a joke, but there is a real fear in his eyes.

“I promise, we will explain everything when we get somewhere private,” Riley says.

“Because that doesn’t sound like a trap at all,” Felix retorts. “Are you sure ‘the guys’ aren’t just going to deal with me?” He stops in his tracks, crossing his arms over his chest.

Riley’s not sure how to convince him they’re telling the truth without risking everything. She looks to Kala, expecting to find a look of concern to match her own expression. Instead, Kala’s face is steeled with fierce determination. Kala takes a shaky breath and says, “Felix. Did you ever wonder why Wolfgang wanted to go to India?”

“What?” Felix asks, almost doing a double take. “How do you know about that?”

“I’m the India Plan.”

“Fuck.” He stares at her in disbelief for a few moments. “How the fuck did I not know about you? He first mentioned that over a year ago.”

“It will make sense when we get a chance to explain. But we can’t right now,” Kala says. She leans in closer, whispering, “It’s not safe.”

Felix continues to gawk. “Yeah. Alright. Let’s go, then.”

Riley smiles, and the three of them head to the car rental area. Once they arrive, they see Sun waiting outside. She’s leaning against an unremarkable grey sedan, keys in hand. Kala, Riley, and Felix step outside. When Sun sees them, she hops in the driver’s seat and unlocks the doors.

Once inside, Felix eyes up Sun. “Is this who you were talking to?” he asks.

“No. This is Sun,” Riley answers. “I’m Riley, by the way. And next to you is Kala.” Sun tilts her head in acknowledgement, locking eyes with Felix in the rearview mirror before pulling out of the parking lot.

“How many of you _are there_?”

“Eight of us, including Wolfgang,” Riley says. “Well, okay, actually a few more if you count Amanita, Bug, Hernando, and Dani.” Felix looks baffled. “This will be easier if we start from the beginning.”

“Yeah,” Felix replies. “Like how the hell Wolfgang knows all of you and where the fuck he is.”

“Have you ever noticed Wolfgang acting strangely?” Riley asks. “New body language you’ve never seen from him, talking to himself in languages he doesn’t speak? Things like that.”

Felix narrows his eyes. “Maybe. Why?”

“We’re - that is, Wolfgang and us - we’re not like you,” Riley answers.

“No one is like Wolfgang,” Felix says.

All three of the women in the car smile at this sentiment. “You’re right. But that’s not what I mean,” Riley clarifies.

“What _do_ you mean?”

“We’re not human,” Kala says.

“Excuse me?” Felix asks, incredulous.

“Well, we are a different kind of human. But not _homo sapiens_. We are born in groups, or clusters, scattered across the world,” she continues.

Felix looks between the three women. “No offense, but none of you exactly look like Wolfgang’s long-lost sisters.”

Kala shakes her head. “Sorry, I should have been more clear. We are all born simultaneously, not in the same location or from the same biological mother. Later in life, we are reborn as sensates. We have an empathic and psychic connection with those in our cluster.”

He is silent for a few moments, then bursts out laughing. “What the fuck?”

“I know it sounds crazy,” Riley says. “We all thought we were going insane at first.”

“Wait,” Felix says, trying to calm down. “You’re serious about this? You expect me to believe you’re all _psychic_?”

“Not exactly, but close,” Kala says. “Where do you think Wolfgang learned Hindi?”

“I thought he was just drunk!” Felix insists. “Why should I believe you? This is _nuts_!”

“When you were in the hospital last year,” Kala starts, “the first thing you said when you woke up was that Wolfgang’s mother was ‘as crazy as catshit.’”

Felix’s eyes widen. The Conan quote had been enough to get him to London, but it wasn’t a huge secret that both he and Wolfgang were fans of the movie. The quote’s significance to their friendship had given him the hope that it may not be a trap. But he knew, realistically, that someone could have just looked up famous quotes from the movie to lure him. Kala’s mention of the India Plan had surprised him, but it was always possible one of the kings in Berlin found Wolfgang while he was at the airport or something.

But what he said in the hospital room? No one could have gotten that information. Wolfgang wasn’t one for sharing personal stories. And why the fuck would anyone ask Wolfgang that if they had him held captive?

“Fine,” Felix sighs. “Say I believe you. What the hell happened to Wolfie? Why can’t he tell me this shit himself?”

“As Kala said, we are not like you.” Sun answers, finally speaking up. “If small differences between _sapiens_ are enough to make them kill, what do you think happens when they learn another species is walking beside them?”

“Oh, fuck,” is all Felix can manage, several horror stories from history class playing behind his eyes. “How did someone find out? It’s not like Wolfie’s gonna go around saying shit like that. Hell, he didn’t tell _me_ , and I’ve known him half our fucking lives.”

“You weren’t completely wrong to be worried about Fuchs,” Riley says. “I’m sure you remember Lila Facchini?”

“He told Lila?” Felix asks.

“No. Lila is a sensate,” Riley explains. “Not from our cluster, but we can recognize each other if we make eye contact. There is an organization that hunts people like us. When it became clear that Wolfgang wanted nothing to do with Lila, she turned him in.”

“Fucking _bitch_ ,” Felix spits out. “Does Fuchs know? Did he put her up to this?”

“Fuchs has no idea,” Kala says. “Lila’s been playing him this whole time.”

“Shit,” sighs Felix. “But you said you had people who know where Wolfie is, right? Have you gotten them to talk?”

Kala looks at her hands. “Not exactly….”

“What are you waiting for?” Felix asks. “You said you guys are...what was the word...empathically connected? So you can feel what Wolfie feels, right? Shouldn’t you be… I don’t know, _finding him_?”

“It is not that simple,” Sun says. “Our hostages are not in charge. But they are important to the men who are. Right now, the rest of our cluster is making a trade.”

Felix runs his fingers through his hair, clearly frustrated. “I should _be there_ ,” he grumbles. “Why didn’t he just _tell me_?”

Riley looks at Felix, a pained smile on her face. “He wanted to keep you safe,” she says.

“We’ve always done everything together. We don’t do safe!”

“This is different,” Kala says softly. “This is bigger than anything either of you have gone against. The Biologic Preservation Organization has backing from various corporations and governments across the world. If they have your name, they _will_ resort to kidnap and torture to get to him. To get to all of us.”

Swallowing hard, Felix looks between the three women. “T-torture? That’s what they’ve been doing to Wolfie?” Kala nods, blinking back tears. “And you can feel it?” She nods again. “Fuck.” He takes a deep breath. “Okay. Okay. You said the other people in your...cluster, you said?”

“Yes,” Riley confirms.

“So the other people in your cluster are trading the people you took to get Wolfie back?”

“Right now, yes,” Sun says.

“That’s who you were talking to earlier? So why do you need that earpiece? I thought you were psychic.”

Sun lets out a hollow laugh as she makes a sharp turn down a small road. Riley touches the Bluetooth earpiece self-consciously. “The people we kidnapped, they’re like us, too. Sensates. But they work for BPO. Once you make eye contact with another sensate outside of your cluster, you form a connection, one that cannot be broken. But there are pills you can take. We call them blockers. These pills tamper down the chemicals in our brain that allow us to make that connection, protecting us. But it also means we cannot communicate with our cluster as we normally would.”

“Anti-psychic pills?” Felix wonders. “This just gets weirder and weirder.”

“You’re telling us,” Riley says.

“So if we’re not doing the trade, where are we going?” Felix asks.

“We have a safe house,” Riley explains. “It’s a temporary solution - BPO has too much of a presence in London for us to stay here for long. But for now, until we have Wolfgang...it’s enough.”

\---

Capheus pulls up to the designated location about ten minutes early. They’re at the eastern edge of London, near the docks on the River Thames. It occurs to him that under better circumstances, he would be taking in these sights with wonder. He’s heard about London his whole life, and he’d always wanted to visit, to see the famous river and all the marvelous buildings built upon it.

Capheus lets himself have a moment to mourn for what might have been, then turns off the ignition. As scared as he is for his other selves, Capheus knows he wouldn’t give up being a sensate for anything.

He gets out from the driver’s side, then walks around and opens the back doors before climbing in. “We’re here.”

Will checks his watch and sees they have a few minutes to spare. “Nomi?” he calls over the Bluetooth. “You free?”

He hears static for a few seconds and then Nomi says, “Right here. What’s up?”

“We’re at the docks,” Will answers. “BPO should be here in a few minutes. Do any of the buildings nearby have eyes you can use?”

“Bug found one across the street with a camera,” she replies. “It’s not much, but better than nothing.”

“Okay. Could you let us know if you see anyone coming our way?” Will asks.

“Gotcha.”

“And, umm,” he adds, “are Riley and the others okay?”

“Safe and sound, last I heard,” Nomi says, and he can hear the smile in her voice. “They should be on their way back now.”

“Thanks, Nomi.”

“Of course.”

“They are alright?” Lito asks.

“Yeah,” Will says with an anxious smile. “Looks like they made it out of the airport okay.”

“That is good to hear,” says Capheus.

Will nods. “Now we’ve just gotta do our part.” He looks at Lito and Capheus, then down to the slumped over bodies of Jonas and Whispers. “You two should stay back if we can help it. They don’t know about you guys. Let’s try to keep it that way.”

“So what’s the plan?” Lito asks.

“I’ll bring out Jonas and Whispers,” Will starts. “Hopefully, they’ll believe I came alone. They probably won’t, but if they keep their end of the bargain there will be no reason for them to find out one way or another.”

“How likely do you think they are to do that?” wonders Capheus.

“I honestly don’t know,” Will sighs. “If I don’t see Wolfgang, we should leave immediately. But even if I do, they might be using him as bait.”

Lito nods, but there is an obvious fear behind his eyes. “And if that happens?”

Will lifts his shirt and reveals a gun tucked into his waistband. “Hopefully, I can convince them to cooperate,” he says, grimacing. “But if I can’t, you should come out to help first, Capheus. They’re not likely to recognize you.”

“What should I do?” Capheus asks, the implied _I don’t know how to fight_ unspoken.

“First priority is getting Wolfgang,” Will answers. “I can take care of myself. Lito, if we’re having trouble, you help Capheus get Wolfgang back here, okay?”

Before Lito can respond, Will hears Nomi through the earpiece again. “A van’s about to pull up,” she says. “Get ready.”

As she’s speaking, they hear the vehicle. “That’s our cue, guys,” Will murmurs.

Lito and Capheus stay away from the doors while Will steps out. Two men wearing hazmats with the hoods pulled down are sitting in the front of another BPO marked van. Will gives them a wave. Rather than acknowledging him, they both put on gas masks before exiting the vehicle.

“Will Gorski?” one of them asks, voice muffled by his mask.

“That’d be me,” Will responds.

“You have Gibbons and Maliki?” the same man questions.

“I do,” Will says. “You have one of my cluster?”

The man who spoke looks to his companion, who walks to the back of their van. He opens the doors, revealing two more people in white suits and dark masks. In the middle of all of them is Wolfgang, unconscious and strapped to a gurney.

“Now bring them out,” the first man demands.

Will only opens the doors as much as he needs to in order to drag Whispers out. He not-so-gently drops him to the ground, then reaches back in for Jonas.

“What’s wrong with them?” the second man asks.

Will smirks. “Just sleeping.” Both of the men outside of the vehicle start to step forward, but Will stops them. “Not so fast. You get them when I get Wolfgang.”

They pause for a moment, then the first man turns to his colleagues in the back of their van and nods. The two people in the back get out, pulling Wolfgang’s gurney with them. They wheel it over until all four people in hazmats are standing together. “Now Maliki and Gibbons,” the first says.

Will lifts Whispers from under the arms, dragging him over. He sets him at the feet of the suited figures, then moves to grab Wolfgang’s gurney. As he grips the cold metal, he feels one of the men seize his wrist and twist it behind his back. “You don’t think we can really just let you go, do you?” he asks.

“Well, I’d hoped,” Will says. “But I guess we’ll this the hard way.”

“Excuse me?” one of the others asks.

“Now!” Will shouts.

Capheus sprints out of the back of their own van. Will grabs his gun with his other hand and frees himself from the wristlock. Turning quickly, Will presses the gun to his would-be captor’s temple. Capheus ducks between the others and grabs the end of the gurney. The two suited figures who wheeled Wolfgang out grab the other end of the gurney before Capheus can pull it back.

“You let us go, or you’re gonna have one less friend,” Will says, flicking off the safety.

“He knew the risks,” says the second man.

Without hesitation, Will shoots the man he’s got his gun pressed against, then whips the pistol around to point at the person who just spoke. At the sound of gunfire, Lito jumps out of the van and runs to help Capheus.

“You ready to take that same risk?” Will asks. “I’m happy to oblige.”

Clearly shocked, the man steps back and puts his hands up. “Let them go!” he shouts. The other two let go of the gurney. Capheus and Lito stumble slightly from the sudden lack of resistance. Once they recover their footing, they pull Wolfgang back as quickly as they can. Will keeps his gun pointed at the people in hazmats until Wolfgang is secure. When Capheus gets out and heads toward the driver’s seat, Will lowers his gun to make a run for it.

But as soon as Will lowered his gun, one of the suited people grabs a gun that was tucked in their boot and points it at Will. “We can’t just let them go! You heard what the Secretary said!”

Without a pause, Will brings up his gun up and shoots the person in the chest. Their gun drops to the ground, and Will takes the chance to dash out of reach from the others, hopping into the back with Lito and Wolfgang.

Will awkwardly pulls the doors shut - they were clearly not designed to be used from the inside. As soon as the latch clicks he looks to Lito, who pounds on the barrier between the back and the driver’s section.

“Go, go, go!” Lito shouts.

Capheus throws the gear shift into drive and swiftly pulls onto the road, swerving around a corner. The movement throws Will and Lito against the wall, Wolfgang’s gurney rolling and almost knocking into them both.

“You guys okay?” Nomi says through the earpiece. “We saw a van pull off. The police got a couple calls about shots being fired.”

“We’re okay,” Will pants. “Could’ve been a bit easier, but we’re alright.”

“How’s Wolfgang?” she asks.

“Just a sec,” Will says, pushing against the wall of the van to right himself. He and Lito lean over Wolfgang, inspecting him. He is deeply unconscious despite the commotion, covered in dried blood and burn marks. Will’s heart aches. But Wolfgang is breathing, as evenly as one could expect. “Probably sedated,” Will tells Nomi. “Maybe it’s better this way. He’s gonna need a lot of help when we get back. But he’s alive. I think he’s gonna be okay.”

“Oh, thank god,” Nomi breathes. Then Will hears Nomi shout to the others around her, “They got him! He’s gonna be okay!”

Relieved, Will laughs and pulls Lito into a hug. “Yeah. Yeah he is.”

\---

A few days later, Kala sits with Wolfgang, checking his vitals. It pains her to see him injured, but it’s nothing compared to the pain she had felt when she thought she had lost him.

He’d stirred on the ride back from the trade and mumbled that he didn’t want Kala to see him like this.

Kala had understood. The whole cluster did. They’d felt the guilt flooding through him the moment Whispers had found Kala’s name. But it only took a day before Wolfgang relented. Kala was heartbroken and scared, and the cluster knew being apart was no good for either of them.

So Sun and Nomi took it upon themselves to fix things, slowly but surely. Nomi may have called Wolfgang an idiot more than a few times, but eventually they persuaded him that no, what happened wasn’t his fault; and no, Kala wasn’t going to stop loving him no matter what. It didn’t alleviate his guilt completely, but he’d agreed to see her.

And that was it. Once they saw each other, Wolfgang never wanted her to leave, and Kala knew she couldn’t go anywhere. In the three days since, Kala had barely left his side.

Felix walks up as Kala is taking Wolfgang’s pulse. He had given Wolfgang the last few days to recover, but now that he’s doing better, Felix figures he’s allowed to pester his brother. “So, Wolfie,” he starts, a sly grin on his face. “When were you going to tell me the India Plan was a woman?”

“Shut up,” Wolfgang replies with a smirk.

“Well at least this explains why you hadn’t gotten laid for the the last six months,” Felix chuckles. “I thought you had lost your touch.”

Embarrassed, Kala makes a show of concentrating on Wolfgang’s vitals. But there is no hiding her smile.

“But no,” Felix continues teasing. “Apparently you’d managed to charm someone even prettier than you from halfway across the world.” Wolfgang laughs. “Seriously, though, Wolfie. Next time you make a bunch of friends in your head, let me know? So I won’t think they’re gonna kill me when they’re trying to save my ass?”

Now Kala is laughing, too. “I’ll make sure he says something next time.”

“Oh shit, you’re right,” Felix says. “Wolfie, you’re fucked now. I can just ask Kala whatever you’re not telling me.”

Wolfgang scoffs. “How terrible.”

Kala grins, then finishes her checkup. “Felix, would you mind getting us some water? Wolfgang’s dehydrated.”

“I’m the errand boy now, huh?” he jokes, but walks toward the makeshift kitchen nonetheless.

Leaning down, Kala kisses Wolfgang gently. “This is nice,” she says.

“Which part?” Wolfgang teases.

Kala giggles. “You know which.”

“I know,” he says, squeezing her hand with a small smile.

“I mean being together. Not just us, although that would be wonderful, too. But with all of the cluster, and Felix, and everyone else.” Kala squeezes back. “It’s nice.”

“Yeah,” Wolfgang says. “Yeah it is.”


End file.
